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–+ servings
Two glass jars of dark eight-week homemade vanilla extract for Full GAPS with immersed split beans and fine vanilla seeds
Ebonie Garnica

Homemade Vanilla Extract for Full GAPS

Dark, fragrant homemade Full GAPS vanilla extract made with 32 vanilla beans and 1/2 US gallon of plain grape vodka. Split, scrape, and steep for eight weeks.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Steeping 56 days
Total Time 56 days 10 minutes
Servings: 1 batch
Course: Condiment, Full GAPS
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 32 whole vanilla beans Madagascar Bourbon, Mexican, or Tahitian; reasonably similar beans within the batch
  • 1/2 US gallon plain grape vodka at least 80 proof / 40% ABV, unflavored, unsweetened, no added color, glycerin, or other additives

Equipment

  • Glass jar with more than 2 L capacity, or two 1.5 L glass jars with tight lids
  • Stable board
  • Small knife or kitchen scissors
  • Wooden or stainless-steel scraping spoon
  • Glass US-cup liquid measure

Method
 

  1. Split the vanilla beans lengthwise with a small knife or kitchen scissors to expose the soft interior. Work through the quantity selected in the ingredient list.
    A vanilla bean split for Full GAPS homemade extract with sticky fine seed paste and residue on the supported used knife
  2. Scrape the fine, sticky seeds into clean glass containers with a spoon. Add the split pods too. For the base batch shown, divide the beans and seeds equally between two 1.5 L glass jars; each receives sixteen beans.
  3. Add the spirit amount selected in the ingredient list, dividing it evenly if using several jars. The base two-jar batch uses four US cups per jar. Wet and immerse the pods, close the lids tightly, and shake gently. Choose sufficient glass capacity and headroom for the selected batch size.
    Freshly assembled Full GAPS vanilla extract in two glass jars with clear grape vodka, split pods, and vanilla seed flecks
  4. Keep the closed jars in a dark cupboard. Shake every few days so settled vanilla seeds move through the liquid again.
  5. Steep for eight weeks, or fifty-six days. The extract should be good and dark with a distinct vanilla aroma alongside the alcohol. Keep the beans immersed, close tightly after use, and measure the amount specified in the recipe you are making.

Notes

Ratio: Four beans per US cup. The base batch has 32 beans and 8 cups; 2× has 64 beans and 16 cups (1 US gallon), with the same eight-week steep. The two-jar setup shown divides the base batch into 16 beans and 4 cups per jar. Use four such jars or sufficient larger glass capacity for 2×.
Timing: Allow about 10 minutes of hands-on preparation, followed by 56 days steeping. The total includes both. Steeping does not make the extract alcohol-free.
Yield: One batch uses eight US cups of spirit. Keep the beans in the jar as the extract ages and as you use it.
GAPS: Homemade vanilla without added sugar or non-GAPS additives, used in recipe-measured amounts on Full GAPS. This is a Full GAPS flavoring ingredient.
Storage: Keep tightly closed in a dark cupboard with pods immersed. Shake gently to redistribute seeds before measuring.

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